1. Technical Field
This device relates to padded protective garments worn by athletes involved in high contact sports, such as football.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior Art devices of this type have proposed and used a variety of protective pads positioned in garments carrying same. Independent pads have been developed to protect special areas of the athlete, such as the should pad, etc. Multiple padded garments have relied on fixed pads of dense resilient material affixed within the garment, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,135,961, U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,801 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,814 and foreign Patent No. DE010842.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,961 a protective garment for athletes is disclosed having a pullover shirt configuration with a large pad of an elastomer sponge material in a pocket. The single pad covers the front chest area of the garment only.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,801 a protective garment is shown having a multiplicity of pockets into which are positioned resilient pads which are made from a sandwich layer configuration within internal layer of rigid polycarbonates. The pads are positioned about the garment with multiple pads adjacent one another over and on each shoulder configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,814 is directed to an athletic padding wherein numerous disk shaped pads of resilient material are encapsulated in a flexible material such as vinyl or neoprene.
In foreign Patent No. DE010842 a safety garment for skiers and climbers is shown having inflatable air pockets with pressurized cylinder interconnected thereto during danger. The inflation of the pads cushions the body and prevents crushing associated with being buried by an avalanche of snow or the like. A life line is also provided extending from the garment for ease of location of the victim.